Kohler receives wetlands permit for golf course

DNR must still approve park easement request

Wisconsin regulators have approved the first of several permits for Kohler Co.’s controversial golf course in Sheboygan County, and they have detailed an array of potential impacts on people and the environment along the Lake Michigan shoreline.

Documents released Wednesday by the state Department of Natural Resources show wetlands losses, expected surges in congestion for a nearby state park and potential harm to water resources, including Lake Michigan.

Plans for the 18-hole course have faced opposition from a group that opposes the project on several fronts, including the ecological impact on more than 200 acres of forest-turned-golf course and Kohler’s bid to use some land immediately south in Kohler-Andrae State Park.

The project is being watched in political circles for how the DNR handles its reviews. Kohler Chairman Herbert V. Kohler Jr. is one of Wisconsin’s wealthiest residents and a financial supporter of Republican Gov. Scott Walker.

On Wednesday, the DNR approved a permit to allow the company’s request to destroy 3.69 acres of wetlands.

In exchange for the loss of the wetlands, Kohler has agreed to create a larger assemblage of wetlands elsewhere in the Sheboygan and Manitowoc watersheds. The company has also agreed to pay for $200,000 in state wetlands restoration work.

Kohler unveiled plans for the championship-level course in 2015, with officials of the company touting the unnamed site as its latest high-end golfing attraction.

Kohler — which also owns and operates Blackwolf Run and Whistling Straits in the area — said it will initially invest $25 million in the new course. The company has said it hopes to start construction in 2018 and open in 2020. But the company said Thursday there is no current timeline for an opening.

In a statement, Dirk Willis, group director of golf for Kohler, said:

“The DNR staff has put a lot of scrutiny into our application, and we are pleased that the wetland permit has been approved and that the project will continue moving forward. We remain committed to implementing a plan that will avoid, minimize and mitigate potential impacts from the public golf course ….”

In addition to the wetlands permit, Kohler will need other state approvals to manage stormwater, the use of groundwater for irrigation and potential impacts on endangered and threatened species.

The DNR must also approve Kohler’s request for an easement of 5 acres from Kohler-Andrae for the golf course.

The U.S. Army Corps is also reviewing the project for wetlands impacts and the affect on historic artifacts.

The company says it is using a minimalist design to limit the impact on natural resources and plans to use less water and fewer nutrients than the typical course.

The DNR cited potential impacts of the course:

❚ The course could harm state endangered or threatened species — 11 that inhabit the property or nearby.

❚ Users of Kohler-Andrae could experience noise and disruption during construction of the golf course. In addition, on weekends and during special events, more congestion for golfers and park users is likely.

❚ The effect on property values is unclear. But the DNR said studies have shown land values more than 1,500 feet from golf courses have dropped.

❚ Groundwater levels could also drop near the course, depending on the amount of irrigation.

❚ The sandy soil of the region could mean pesticides and fertilizer could leach into the groundwater and wash into the Black River and Lake Michigan.

❚ The substantial loss of forests for fairways, greens and a clubhouse will mean the loss of habitat for birds, especially those that use shorelines as a migratory corridor.